Particulate matter (PM) is a key indicator of air pollution brought into the air by a variety of natural and human activities. As it can be suspended over long time and travel over long distances in ...the atmosphere, it can cause a wide range of diseases that lead to a significant reduction of human life. The size of particles has been directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. Small particles of concern include “inhalable coarse particles” with a diameter of 2.5 to 10μm and “fine particles” smaller than 2.5μm in diameter. As the source–effect relationship of PM remains unclear, it is not easy to define such effects from individual sources such as long-range transport of pollution. Because of the potent role of PM and its associated pollutants, detailed knowledge of their human health impacts is of primary importance. This paper summarizes the basic evidence on the health effects of particulate matter. An in-depth analysis is provided to address the implications for policy-makers so that more stringent strategies can be implemented to reduce air pollution and its health effects.
•Diverse sources of particulate matter deteriorate air quality and exert impact on human health.•An overview of PM is provided by synthesizing information of its impact and regulation efforts.•The management skills of PM from the areas suffering from its worst pollution are also addressed.
The increase in cases of asthma and allergies has become an important health issue throughout the globe. Although these ailments were not common diseases a few short decades ago, they are now ...affecting a large part of the population in many regions. Exposure to environmental (both outdoor and indoor) pollutants may partially account for the prevalence of such diseases. In this review, we provide a multidisciplinary review based on the most up-to-date survey of literature regarding various types of airborne pollutants and their associations with asthma-allergies. The major pollutants in this respect include both chemical (nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds) and biophysical parameters (dust mites, pet allergens, and mold). The analysis was extended further to describe the development of these afflictions in the human body and the subsequent impact on health. This publication is organized to offer an overview on the current state of research regarding the significance of air pollution and its linkage with allergy and asthma.
•The increase of asthma and allergies has become an important health issue throughout the globe.•Their symptoms of asthma and allergies can worsen, if not managed against harmful pollutants.•In this study, we up-to-date information linking these affiliations with air pollution.
Hair dye products now represent one of the most rapidly growing beauty and personal care industries as both men and women commonly change hair color to enhance youth and beauty and to follow fashion ...trends. Irrespective of economic and education status, people dye their hair to emphasize the importance given to appearance. Despite adverse reactions, many people continue dyeing mainly for cosmetic purposes. This paper provides a comprehensive review on various aspects of hair dying products, especially with respect to the hair-coloring process, classification, chemical ingredients, possible human health impacts, and regulations. Permanent hair dye, which is the most commonly used product type, is formed by an oxidative process involving arylamines to bring about concerns with long-term exposure. Hence, significant efforts have been put to understand the possible side effects of such exposure including cancer risk. However, hair dyes and their ingredients are mainly identified to have moderate to low acute toxicity such as the cause of allergic contact dermatitis. Although some hair dye components are reported to be carcinogenic in animals, such evidence is not consistent enough in the case of human studies. Consequently, further research is desirable to critically address the significance of this issue, especially with respect to the safety of hair dye ingredients.
•Hair dye is used to emphasize the importance of appearance for cosmetic purposes.•This paper provides a comprehensive review on various aspects of hair dying products.•Hair dyes are mainly identified to have moderate to low acute toxicity like contact allergies.•Evidence is yet inconsistent to identify carcinogenic effects of hair dyes in human studies.•Further research is desirable to critically address the significance of hair dye ingredients.
► Breath testing has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. ► Advantages of breath tests include their non-invasive nature and safety. ► Breath testing is critical for patients who have ...to control daily functioning. ► Current use shows that breath testing has great potential for future applications.
In this review, we describe technical developments in breath analysis and its applications in clinical diagnosis, monitoring disease state, and assessing environmental exposure. Breath tests have been successfully employed in clinical analyses for symptoms including lung disease, oxidative stress, gastrointestinal disease, metabolic disorders, and Helicobacter pylori infection.
Although gas chromatography has been used mainly for the analysis of volatile constituents in breath samples, other techniques (e.g., sensors and lasers) have also been used satisfactorily. The analytical results of breath analysis can be derived both qualitatively and quantitatively. However, evaluation of the data from different approaches remains insufficient because of the lack of standardized procedures and poor methods of validation. Further research is therefore required to expand the applicability of breath analysis in clinical diagnosis of diseases.
The correlation between surface electrical resistivity and modulus of elasticity of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) was studied within early ages in this study as a novel nondestructive method for ...predicting the modulus of elasticity of FRC. In addition to the relationship of the two quantities, the influence of various discrete fibers such as glass, nylon, polypropylene, and steel on the early age properties of FRC was investigated. Twenty-one FRC mixes were designed and tested; including four fiber types, three different fiber volume fractions for each fiber type, and three different water-to-cement ratios for all the different mixes. The surface electrical resistivity meter and resonance testing gauge were used to measure each specimen’s surface electrical resistivity and modulus of elasticity. Early-age dynamic modulus of FRC may be predicted using the mechanical properties and dimension of the fiber, according to proposed mathematical calculations. Statistical analysis was performed on the experimental results and the results acquired by the proposed equations, to examine and proof the accuracy of the proposed equations. The acceptable coefficient of variation of 5–9 percent confirmed the good agreement between the measured and predicted values.
As an alternative source of off-grid electric power, solar home systems (SHS) stand out above all other options (e.g., wind, hydro, geo-thermal, tidal systems) because of their wide-scale potential ...at latitudes less than 45° north or south of the Equator where daily solar irradiance is more constant throughout the year and where the bulk of the Third World’s population live. A questionnaire-based survey study was carried out in a rural area of Bangladesh to ascertain the impacts of SHSs on the lives of the rural population. The installation of an SHS was found to improve the comfort and living standard of rural dwellers. Easier access to TV, radio, cellphone, and the Internet helped the rural population become part of a more global culture. More attractive down-payment and installment package options will allow poor target groups to adopt this system. The standard of SHS components and after-sales service should be improved to ensure sustainably and popularity among the mass population for at least 10 years at minimal cost to the consumer. Our findings can also help policymakers adopt more SHS-friendly policies to further the interests of inhabitants of rural areas that are not connected to the grid.
Biochar is a versatile and sustainable tool for agricultural and environmental remediation due to its unique physicochemical properties in terms of soil fertility, nutrient retention, and water ...holding capacity. As a stable carbon-rich material, biochar promotes plant growth and increases crop yields by enhancing microbial activity. It can also be used as a sorbent for removing pollutants such as heavy metals, organic contaminants, and nutrients from soil and water systems. However, the utility of biochar in soil and its ecological impact can be affected by the combined effects of many variables. This paper discusses the effects of biochar application on soil properties and its potential to mitigate various environmental challenges by enhancing soil composition, augmenting water accessibility, and removing pollutants as part of efforts to promote sustainable agriculture based on recent findings. These findings are expected to improve the utility of biochar in farming while contributing to the mitigation of climate change in diverse routes (e.g., by sequestering atmospheric carbon, improving soil quality, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions). This paper offers a promising opportunity to help harness the power of biochar and to pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient future.
The seat and the ball are the only two components of a Gas Lift Valve (GLV) that can be switched out to meet changing gas throughput requirements. For this reason, individual pairings of balls and ...seats must be designed to meet the particular requirements of specific situations. While conventional GLV seats have sharp edges, a modified seat design with partially beveled edges has been shown to improve gas throughput. This design was then tested using benchmark valve and was optimized by beveling the entire port of the seat. These experiments were conducted using a ball diameter that was 0.0016 m larger than the diameter of the port top, although the effects of even larger ball sizes have also been studied using benchmark valves with conventional seats. Researchers have yet to explore the effects of ball diameters smaller than the Port Top Diameter (PTD) and larger than the Port Bottom Diameter (PBD) for modified and optimized seat designs. In this paper, the effects of smaller ball size on the GLV gas throughput have been analyzed using both modified and optimized seat designs and actual GLV. The ball was 0.0016 m smaller than the PTD of the seats. Geometric models have been deduced to calculate the generated upstream area (frustum area) open to flow. This frustum area is a function of stem travel, and the dimensions of the seat and ball. Theoretical calculations have been compared with results obtained through robust experimental methods. The entire experimental program was divided into four individual experiments. The static testing was used to fix the dome pressure and the opening pressure. The hysteresis effect associated with the bellows assembly was minimized using the aging procedure. Probe tester was used to measure the stem travel. Finally, the gas throughput of the GLV was measured using dynamic testing. The smaller ball sizes were found to significantly improve the gas throughput of actual GLV. This improvement was as high as 179% for large PBD seats. However, the frustum area practically decreased for these cases. This result suggests that the flow coefficient has more effect on GLV gas throughput compared to frustum area.
Virulent and multi drug resistant (MDR)
is a foremost cause of foodborne diseases and had serious public health concern globally. The present study was undertaken to identify the pathogenicity and ...antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles of
serovars recovered from chicken at wet markets in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of 870 cecal contents of broiler, sonali, and native chickens were collected from 29 wet markets. The overall prevalence of
Typhimurium,
Enteritidis, and untyped
spp., were found to be 3.67%, 0.57%, and 1.95% respectively. All isolates were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for eight virulence genes, namely
A,
A,
A,
A,
H,
A,
E, and
C.
. Enteritidis isolates carried all virulence genes whilst
. Typhimurium isolates carried six virulence genes except
A and
C. A diverse phenotypic and genotypic AMR pattern was found. Harmonic descending trends of resistance patterns were observed among the broiler, sonali, and native chickens. Interestingly, virulent and MDR
serovars were found in native chicken, although antimicrobials were not used in their production cycle. The research findings anticipate that virulent and MDR
are roaming in the wet markets which can easily anchor to the vendor, consumers, and in the food chain.
There is a growing public concern over the potential accumulation of heavy metals in soil, owing to rapid industrial development. In an effort to describe the status of the pollutions of soil by ...industrial activities, relevant data sets reported by many studies were surveyed and reviewed. The results of our analysis indicate that soils were polluted most significantly by metals such as lead, zinc, copper, and cadmium. If the dominant species are evaluated by the highest mean concentration observed for different industry types, the results were grouped into Pb, Zn, Ni, Cu, Fe, and As in smelting and metal production industries, Mn and Cd in the textile industry, and Cr in the leather industry. In most cases, metal levels in the studied areas were found to exceed the common regulation guideline levels enforced by many countries. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo), calculated to estimate the enrichment of metal concentrations in soil, showed that the level of metal pollution in most surveyed areas is significant, especially for Pb and Cd. It is thus important to keep systematic and continuous monitoring of heavy metals and their derivatives to manage and suppress such pollution.
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